STM Journals Peer-reviewed research from Consortium e-Learning Network

Journal of Modern Chemistry & Chemical Technology

An Overview of Blends Based on Thermoplastic Starch

  1. Ruhul Amin Khan
  2. Haydar U Zaman

Abstract

In recent years, research has concentrated on biodegradable substances to replace petroleum- based polymers for use in food packaging. Biopolymers are seen to be the most promising material for this purpose due to their biodegradable nature and long shelf life characteristics like resistance to chemical or enzymatic processes. Starch is a biopolymer that is cheap, sustainable, and eco-friendly and could be a feasible method for making biocomposites. The production and use of starch in the packaging sector is constrained by the low mechanical and tensile strength of starch-based films. The hydrogen bonds and intermolecular forces in starch, however, prevent it from being converted into a thermoplastic polymer. Different plasticizers are utilized to create thermoplastic starches (TPSs), a deformable thermoplastic polymer, in order to solve this problem. Under the degradation temperature, a plasticizer improves the flexibility and process stability of starch. Plasticizer lowers the glass transition temperature (T g ).Thermoplastic starch, a derivative of starch, is thought to be a good contender to take the place of synthetic polymers used in packaging. TPS is one of the most promising biobased materials currently being used to make biodegradable plastic. TPS has shortcomings, including its hygroscopic nature, low gas permeability, and insufficient water barrier properties. The focus of this study is on a few biopolymer-related topics and prospective packaging uses for thermoplastics with starch bases. Biopolymer composites that have been blended with other materials currently display a number of improved properties. However, it should be emphasized that depending on the particular biopolymer, the degree of compatibility between starch and other biopolymers varies significantly. Biopolymers have created a distinctive impression, which will continue to 2 stimulate the development of novel substances for many years to come, despite the fact that their efficacy has not yet reached the level of their counterparts made of fossil fuels.

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